Bad Medicine
by NightMusic961
Summary: Red Arrow  A.K.A. Speedy  finds someone to chase away his own personal demons, but he will have to save her a few times as well :  M for a reason...
1. Chapter 1

The sky was gloomy over Star City, clouds swollen with the promise of rain. Annabelle walked quickly, increasing her stride as the sun began to sink behind the surrounding office buildings. The sounds of work on the docks was slowly diminishing. The last thing she wanted was to be caught out on the street after dark. A thin, average height seventeen year old girl equaled perfect victim status, and she was acutely aware of the fact.

"God, why did I have to finish that shot today? It could have sat in the dark room over night." she whined softly to herself, grasping the yellow envelop that held the developed filmstrips closer to her chest. She glanced at her wrist watch and walked even faster down the deserted street, pulling her raincoat snug against her small frame as the wind whipped violently. Five minutes until sundown. As she rounded the corner, a clap of thunder announced the rain.

"Shit…" she hissed, shoving the envelope into her jacket and ducking her head to the falling rain. Her short copper hair was quickly drenched and her bangs fell into her eyes. She was still two blocks from the subway station that would take her home, if you could call the one bedroom shack of an apartment 'home'. Suddenly, Annabelle heard gruff talking ahead. She glanced up and began to curse inwardly. A few feet in front of her were five figures, undoubtedly male. Their conversation stopped as they noticed her, eyes watching silently as she approached.

_Don't show fear, just keep walking…_ Annabelle could feel the men's eyes burning into her skin. As she passed, she was forced to walk between the group. Just when she began to skirt around the last one, just when she began to fell safe, the man grabbed her arm roughly.

"Where's a pretty little thing like you going on a night like this?" he asked her, and she could smell the alcohol on his breath. He had a angry scar across his right cheek.

"Let me go." she stated clearly, glad that her voice didn't betray her. The mans companions converged closer, forming a broken circle around her. She tugged her arm away from him quickly. As she tried to back away, she ran into another man, shorter than the first, but towering over her regardless. He put his hands on her shoulders forcefully. This man wore a battered, old hat that covered his eyes.

"Get away!" Annabelle shrieked, beginning to panic. She had heard the horror-stories of women getting attacked on the streets at night, but she had hoped that it would never happed to her. She was totally unprepared for this. Annabelle surged away from the circle of men and began to sprint down the street.

"Hey! Get back here, we want to have some fun!" one of the men called after her. To Annabelle's horror, she heard the group chasing after her.

_Two blocks, two blocks, two blocks!_ she screamed frantically in her head as her gray converse slapped the sidewalk, unheeding of the forming puddles. Someone at the station would help her, or at least act as a witness. Out of the corner of her eye, Annabelle saw a hand fly towards her face. She flinched away instinctively, turning in the process. She kept running, realizing that she had gone into an alleyway. Another turn opened up on her right, and she took it hoping that it would lead her back to the street. She whimpered as she saw the chain link fence that blocked her escape route, a faint streetlight flickering above it. She twisted around quickly to see the men stalking towards her slowly, knowing that she had been caught. The raindrops pattered down on the scene loudly.

"Look how our luck has changed boys, she's led us to the perfect place for some fun." the man with the scar said. Annabelle turned back to the fence and started to climb wildly. She had barely pulled herself up two feet when she felt someone grab her around the waist roughly and drag her down.

Instead of screaming, Annabelle lashed out, catching her captor in the jaw with her elbow. He dropped her and stumbled back, rubbing his chin. Annabelle was surprised at herself, she wasn't the violent type, but she wasn't going down without a fight. The man she hit was wearing a red plaid shirt that reminded Annabelle of a farmer. She took a second to study the others. One was rather fat and breathing heavily at the back of the group, obviously tired out from the chase. The other had a thick mustache, and a cruel glint in his eyes. Annabelle's eyes switched from one man to the other, frantically awaiting the next move.

"Come on girly, why don't you play nice? We promise we wont hurt you…" the man with the scar said. Annabelle singled him out as the ringleader since he talked the most. In a moment of panic, she tried to barrel past them, but the man with the hat grabbed her and threw her back towards the fence. It rattled loudly as she collided into it. The moustache man pulled something out of his pocket. As it glinted in the streetlight Annabelle stiffened. He had a knife, a _sharp_ knife.

"Lets get this over with, I'm tired of messing around." he growled, walking towards her. Annabelle backed into the fence as the moustache man pressed the knife against her throat.

"Take off the jacket." he ordered. The other men came closer, watching in anticipation. The knife pressed harder against her skin as Annabelle fumbled with the buttons and tie with shaking fingers. The manila envelope holding her photographs dropped to the ground as she let her black jacket fall. The men's eyes roamed her body quickly, clad in a grey, form fitting v-neck shirt and dark blue skinny jeans.

_This cant be happening….this cant be happening! _Her thoughts screamed. But it was happening, and she had to do something to stop it. While moustache man was looking her up and down, Annabelle grabbed his wrist with both of her hands and twisted sharply. She heard a sickening crack and let go, nose scrunching in disgust. The blade clattered to the ground and the man yelped in surprise and pain. Annabelle leaned back against the fence and kicked him away from her with both feet, quickly bending down to grab the knife as he fell.

"Stay away from me, all of you!" she shrieked brandishing the knife as they began to approach her. The man in the hat rushed at her. Annabelle swung the knife at him, screaming when a spray of blood hit her face. The man cried out, clutching his arm and scurrying away. The man with the scar tackled Annabelle, pressing her body against the cold ground. Annabelle hit the ground on her side, hard. Quickly, she tried to scurry out of the scarred mans grasp. He pushed his knee against her spine and stepped on her wrist that held the knife with big, bulky boots . With a cry of pain, the knife fell from her grasp. Her face was smashed against the gravel and tears began to sting her eyes. The men behind them were speaking, but Annabelle couldn't make out their words. She could feel hot breath against her ear, someone caressing her short hair. Her body was cold and wet from the rain. When a hand trailed down her side and grabbed her pant hem, Annabelle's body stiffened. She felt like an animal caught in a cars headlights. She couldn't move, couldn't scream, could barely breath as she felt her skin become bare. The scarred man was still sitting on her back, forcing her to stay down. All the fight left her as fear took firm root in the front of her mind. With numb realization, Annabelle knew one of the others pulled her jeans away from her legs, leaving her in her shoes and panties.

"Please stop…" Annabelle whimpered so softly that she doubted anyone had heard her. Her body began to shake from the cold. Annabelle tried to raise her face from the ground, getting dirt smeared on her cheek. Tears blurred her vision as rough hands stroked her bare legs. The scarred man was rising on her body, trying to lift her shirt.

"Just cut it off!" a deep voice said exasperated, probably the farmershirt. Annabelle felt the chill of the blade against her skin, heard the tear of fabric as her shirt was cut away. The scarred man trailed the knife down her back a second time, harder, drawing blood. Annabelle was sobbing now. She felt the rain and blood run down her sides. The men behind her started trading vulgar banter; complementing each other on the thrill of the chase, betting on who would make her scream first. Annabelle tried one last feeble attempt of escape, digging her fingers into the ground and trying to pull herself away from the men's grasps.

"Don't make me hurt you." the scarred man growled in her ear, pulling his fingers roughly through her hair. He pressed the knife tip against her face, tracing the side of her cheek with it. Annabelle whimpered as one of the men began to grind up against her exposed ass.

Suddenly, everything went still. The disgusting conversation behind her stopped, the man grinding against her paused mid thrust. The scarred man stood up, reliving Annabelle of his weight. One of the other men took his place, straddling Annabelle's back dominantly. The scarred man walked closer to the fence, knife in a defensive position.

"What do you want? If you've come to join the fun, you're out of luck. Just keep walking bud!" he called out, puffing up his chest. Annabelle rose her head from the ground in hope. Someone could save her….but, as fast as the relief had come, it vanished. Only one lone figure stood before the scene, streetlight flickering above them, but hiding the figure in shadow. No_ one _man could help her.


	2. Chapter 2

The shadowed silhouette stood unmoving, silently watching. Annabelle heard a loud _twang_ before a red cylinder zipped through a hole in the fence, clattering to the ground beside her. The cylinder head, attached to an arrow sheath, began spewing out a thick smoke. Under the flickering street light, the fog looked like a sickly yellow cloud. Annabelle coughed as the noxious gas entered her nose. She rose to her knees, confused but relieved when no weight constricted her escape. She began frantically crawling towards fresh air. The cut on her back began to sting with movement.

Through the haze, she realized something was happening around her. The men were yelling and cursing, their deep voices sounding strangely muted. Annabelle hoped that her rescuer would distract the men long enough for her to get to safety. She shrieked in fright as the scarred man fell in her path. His body looked battered as he skulked away from the smoke. Suddenly, a hand clad in a black, leather glove grabbed the man by the back of his neck. The scarred man disappeared back into the thick smoke, squealing in fear. Annabelle continued her escape slowly, watching for any other signs of movement through the gas as she inched her broken body towards the fence. When she leaned up against the cold metal, Annabelle shivered. Her exposed skin rose as the wind and rain persisted.

Soaking wet, Annabelle searched through the smog for her jacket, almost crying out in joy when she felt the damp fabric beneath her finger tips. Just as she got a hold of it, a calloused hand emerged from the smoke, catching onto her wrist roughly. Annabelle's eyes flicked up the hand to the rest of the body only to find the moustache man standing menacingly above her. Before she could scream, he grabbed her by the neck, lifting her up until her feet dangled above the ground. He pushed her back against the fence, tightening his grip on her throat when she tried to cry out.

"You're beginning to be more trouble than you're worth." he stated, his face close. Annabelle clawed at his hand, the one she hadn't twisted earlier, desperately trying to loosen his grip. Her vision began to fade as the lack of oxygen made her head swim. She thrashed around as she suffocated, making the chain fence rattle. Her strength was fading fast.

"Stop squirming bitch!" the moustache man hissed at her, looking over his shoulder as the sounds of fighting in the smoke continued. Annabelle gasped, choking for air. The last thing Annabelle saw before she passed out was a dark figure emerging from the smoke behind the moustache man.

* * *

Roy saw the girls eyelids flutter closed. He immediately grabbed the man who held her against the fence. Her motionless form fell to the ground in a heap as the man released her quickly. The man in Roy's grasp had a thick moustache above his lip, his eyes were full of malice and hate. Roy threw him to the ground and beat him down until he lay unconscious.

"Sick bastards." Roy muttered, kicking one of the still figures out of his way as he walked towards the girl. The gas he had shot was beginning to dissipate, lowering closer to the ground, making a yellow tainted fog. Roy gasped as his gaze fell on the girl he rescued. Her shirt was ripped open in the back exposing her black bra that was held in place only by a few frayed strands of fabric. A trail of blood dripped slowly down her back. The girls pants were gone, her bottom half covered only in a pair of panties and gray converse. Roy could see her face clearly, cheek smeared with dirt, dark bangs falling over her eyes dripping water down her slender nose. That's when Roy realized it was beginning to pour rain.

"Shit, she must be freezing." he mumbled looking around for something to cover the girl up with. He saw a small black bundle and picked it up, realizing that it was a raincoat. As Roy grabbed it, a manila folder tumbled into a puddle. Curious, he picked it up. He looked inside it quickly, only to discover dark film strips. Placing the envelope into his quiver, he sat the girl up, resting her frame against the fence. Her head rolled onto her chest limply as he wrapped her up in the coat. She was injured, but Roy didn't have any medical supplies with him. He looked around him uneasily.

"Well, you saved her, now what?" he asked out loud rubbing the back of his neck. He couldn't just leave her here. With growing unease, he pondered the options in his head.

"Dammit! Why did she have to faint?" he hissed, picking the girl up into his arms and heading towards his base. He shielded the girl from the rain as best he could, but by the time he reached the penthouse he had bought with one of Green Arrows many bank funds, they were both drenching wet. Dropping his bow and arrows on the floor, Roy lay the girl on the leather couch in the main room and took off her jacket, hanging it up to dry. He then went to the kitchen to fill a bowl with warm water and moved around the loft in search of supplies. The girl didn't move except for the rise and fall of her breathing.

Prepared with bandages, anti bacterial spray, and other materials, Roy kneeled on the floor beside the couch. Removing her shirt and bra was an awkward business, but Roy eventually got her unclothed, avoided looking at her breasts, and flipped her onto her stomach. Then he set to work, methodically cleaning and bandaging the wound on her back. It wasn't a deep cut, but he wanted to be sure that it wouldn't get infected. Finished, he sat back on his heels to view his work. As his gaze fell on the girl, he noticed that she had a pale complexion, and was very thin, almost frail looking. Roy went to the master bathroom to gather some towels, then went to his dresser pondering over what clothes to lend her. He settled on an old t-shirt and comfy gym shorts. He took off his shirt, hanging it over a chair to dry. His black pants were almost completely dry anyway. Rubbing his short hair dry with one of the towels, he went back into the living room. The rain pounded against the windows loudly, thunder and lightning making the glass shudder.

He approached the lifeless girl, placing the clothes on the coffee table that sat next to the couch. He patted her small figure down with the towel lightly, drying her body as best he could. He tugged off her shoes and socks, laying them out to dry. Grabbing the t-shirt he raised the girl up, quickly pulling the shirt down over her head. He flinched away as his hand away accidentally grazed her breast. The girls body fell back onto the couch with a thud. Roy exhaled loudly, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. With a red face, he pulled the t shirt down the rest of her body. His gaze switched hesitantly down to her soaking wet underwear. She had been laying in a puddle when he found her. With increasing embarrassment, he looked away as he pulled them down slowly. Apologizing profusley under his breath, he unclothed her womanhood. Just as he got the unmentionables around her ankles, the girl stirred.

Roy stood behind her, panties in hand, motionless in embarrassment and shock. His face got redder by the second as the girl lifted her head and looked around the room slowly, gaze eventually landing on him. He watched her eyes widen and her mouth open in preparation to scream. He closed his eyes and cringed, awaiting the girls shrill cry, but all he heard was a tiny squeak followed by a pitiful coughing attack. Roy opened one eye to see the girls body spasm from coughing. She was still trying to cover her body. His t-shirt went down to just above her knees. She shrank away from him, looking around the room widely for an escape.

"It's okay," Roy said looking away and clearing his throat, "I was just trying to get you into some dry clothes. Here." He held out the gym shorts to her, looking at the wall. When nothing happened, he glanced at the girl who was cowering on the other side of the couch. She opened her mouth again and made a strange gurgling noise. Her hands flew to her throat in shock, looking panicked. Roy's eyebrows rose in amusement, but he silenced the laugh that threatened escape. Nothing about this was funny.

"Can you speak? Did they hurt your throat?" he asked going towards her. The girl moved away from him, eyes still wide with fear. Roy understood what she was feeling.

"Hey, you don't have to be afraid of me. I'm not going to hurt you." he said softly, holding out the dry towel and pants to her.


	3. Chapter 3

Annabelle made no move towards the masked man in front of her. Now where had she heard _that _before.

"I'm not going to hurt you." he repeated calmly, making the memory of the scarred mans voice and touch invade her thoughts again. In any other situation, she would have been awing over his half clothed body, but she was so sick with fear that she found it hard to concentrate on anything but the pounding of blood in her ears. The moustache man must have damaged her vocal cords when he had strangled her, leaving her unable to speak. She looked around her surroundings again. She was in a sort of living room, doors and open hallways leading to other parts of what she guessed was a penthouse. Rain was pouring down the large windows, lightning and thunder crashing outside.

"I'm going to put your clothes in the dryer, okay?" the man said to her softly. Annabelle returned her attention to him, trembling. She was cold, wet, and so very scared. Feeling tears prick her eyes, she nodded slightly, feeling the hysteria rising within her as she began to remember all that had happened tonight. As the man left the room, she slumped onto the couch, unable to hold her weight up any longer. He must have been the one who saved her from the other men, or at least that was what she hoped. His hands were clad in the same black gloves from earlier.

She quickly pulled on the pair of pants he left her, tying the drawstring as tight as it would go around her waist, and began to towel dry her short hair. She felt the tug of bandages on her back as she moved, realizing that the man must have covered the cut. A sensation of helplessness and violation rushed at her, leaving her broken and battered inside. Annabelle felt sick and lightheaded as she let the tears that had welled up behind her eyes fall.

"You can wash off in the bathroom if you'd like. I'll sleep here on the couch so you can have the bedroom." she jumped as the man came back in the room turning towards him quickly. He faltered when he saw her silently sobbing.

"Look," he said sitting on the opposite side of the couch, "I beat the crap out of those guys that were trying to hurt you. I only brought you here to bandage your back because the nearest hospital is across town, and I didn't want to carry you around in this storm. I figured you would be able to speak to me when you woke up, but it seems that your larynx or vocal cords have been damaged." the girl looked at him through teary eyes. Roy realized with a start that she had the clearest blue eyes he had ever seen.

"I swear that no one is going to hurt you while I'm here." he promised her while she sniffled slightly. Roy got up and went into the kitchen, grabbing a pad of paper and a working pen.

"Do you want to talk or are you exhausted?" he asked the girl, holding out the materials to her. He suddenly wanted to know more about her and do everything in his power to make her feel safe. He didn't care that she would probably leave in the morning and he would never see her again, Roy wanted to be with somebody and get rid of the lonely, depressed feeling in his chest caused by Green Arrow's denial. The girl took the pen and paper from him hesitantly and began scribbling quickly. After a few moments, she handed back to him a very detailed drawing of Green Arrow standing next to him with a giant '?' The character him was wearing a surprisingly accurate sketch of his old uniform.

"We are not partners anymore." Roy answered, sighing sadly as he remembered his mentor. The girl took back her paper and Roy moved closer to her on the couch. She drew intently: with her body hunched over her work, knees tucked under her, hair falling into her eyes. Suddenly, she handed the pad back with a SPEEDY= ?

"I've decided to work alone for a while. I get more done, and I'm free to do what I want when I want. Plus, It's better this way. I'm Red Arrow now." he assured himself by nodding. The girl had a puzzled look on her face, her blue eyes questioning.

"What's your name?" Roy asked quickly, turning the focus away from himself. The girl began scribbling again. _Annabelle Johnston_ her thin writing answered.

"Annabelle? What were you doing on the streets tonight? You could have been killed…" Roy began, but Annabelle had taken the paper back and was working quickly. The look on her face was hopeful when she handed the paper back to him.

_I'm a photographer for Star City News. I was developing some film and got out of the office late. You didn't happen to see a manila envelope did you?_ Roy read the message quickly and then looked back up at the girl. She raised her eyebrows expectantly.

"Oh, that's what they were. I grabbed the envelope and put it in my quiver. Here, let me get it." Roy said standing. As he turned away from her, the lights flickered. A clap of thunder boomed around the penthouse, and the next moment, he and Annabelle were thrown into complete darkness. Roy jumped in surprise as a vice like grip attached onto his arm. He could hear the girls frightened gasps of air, her warm breath tickling his exposed chest, sending involuntary shivers down his spine Her body trembled against his, causing an instinctual, sexual reaction in Roy. He pushed his physical urges down.

"Annabelle, stay here, and I'll go find some matches or something." he said trying to pull his arm away, but her grip on him only grew stronger.

"You want to come with?" he asked unsure, and he felt her short hair brush his arm as she nodded. The darkness of the room was disorienting, but somehow, Roy managed to lead them to the kitchen. He rummaged through the drawers until he found a lighter. He flicked the flame on, watching Annabelle's blue eyes dilate then contract against the sudden light.

"I don't think I have any candles, but I can show you where the bedroom is, and we'll just have to wait until the sun rises." Roy said walking down to the hall.

Annabelle began to panic. She couldn't stand the thought of being alone in the complete darkness. She feared that if Red Arrow left her, she would fall back into the hysteria that threatened to break her hold on reality. She wanted so badly to trust him, and he was the only lifeline that kept her from a total breakdown. They entered a huge bedroom, a full screen TV and a massive bed the main focus of the room. As he pulled back the bed covers and began to take his arm away, she dug her nails into his skin, tears threatening once again. Roy looked down at her as her blue eyes widened with fear.

"What is it Annabelle?" he asked, then immediately felt stupid because she couldn't answer him. She just kept shaking her head 'no' as he tried to loosen her grip on him. Suddenly, something clicked.

"You want me to sleep with you, I mean here, in the bed, next to you." he finished lamely, face heating. Annabelle closed her eyes tightly against relived tears and nodded frantically. She released his arm when she was certain he wouldn't leave. She sank down shakily on the bed, watching as Red Arrow went to the other side of the room. He stripped down to his boxers and quickly put on a long pair of sweatpants. Annabelle caught herself looking at his bare skin hungrily. She looked away, embarrassed, and pretended to be interested in the décor of the room. In the dim candle light, she could see the reflective surfaces of emptied alcohol bottles standing on dressers, a mess of papers and trash littering the desk, cigarettes and what looked like needles placed haphazardly around the room.

_Holy crap this guy has some issues, but then again, who doesn't…_ she thought to herself as he approached the bed. Roy left his mask on, waiting until he extinguished the light to take it off. Annabelle could here him rustling the covers on the edge of the king sized bed.

"Goodnight Annabelle." he said softly. Annabelle wished desperately that she could answer him, and thank him for everything. Instead, she lay under the covers in silence. After a while, the only sounds came from the storm outside.

_God, I feel so stupid, grabbing at him like that! The guy probably thinks I'm a needy little baby who cant fend for herself._ But Annabelle didn't really care what the guy thought of her. He had saved her, they were in the same bed, she was wearing his clothes, and that was that. She was just happy that she wasn't alone….

The next morning, Roy woke up with Annabelle in his arms. Some time during the night, their bodies must have sought for warmth, bringing them into the middle of the bed. Annabelle's head rested on Roy's bare chest, her short hair tickling his exposed skin. Her arms were curled against his side, keeping him warm, one of her slender legs draped over his. Though, she wasn't at fault. Roy held her body in place with his own muscular arms, tucking her head under his chin. The heat her body produced was pleasant, and she smelled like rain. The rise and fall of her breathing was calming.

Roy lay there for a few moments, thinking of how it would be to wake up like this every morning. He had known this girl for less than twenty four hours, yet in his mind, he wondered what it would be like to be with her, to have a normal teenage life. But Roy wasn't a normal teenager, and he knew it could never happen, but it didn't stop him from dreaming. Annabelle stirred, nuzzling closer to his warmth. Roy suddenly realized how cold the room was, and how dark it was still, even though it had to be past ten o'clock. He released the girl and gently untangled his body from hers. As he moved away, he watched in slight amusement as the girl burrowed into the blankest, searching for his warmth. He sat on the edge of the bed, taking deep breaths, face in his palms.

"Roy, what have you gotten yourself into this time?" he asked himself quietly.

* * *

Review please!


	4. Chapter 4

Annabelle's eyelids fluttered open. She was warm, body cocooned inside the blankets but it was still extremely dark. She rose her head out of the shelter of warmth just enough to see Red Arrow's silhouette sitting on the edge of the bed. She coughed pitifully when she attempted to say good morning. He turned to her, mask over his eyes, fingers pattering against his thighs anxiously.

"Hey, I was just going to make coffee, or something. You're bandages should be okay if you wanted to take a shower, or whatever." he muttered in a way that made Annabelle think he was hiding something.

_Oh, god, I can only imagine how gross I smell! _She thought embarrassed. Annabelle's brow furrowed slightly as she nodded at him and untangled herself from the sheets, making her way to the master bathroom. Red Arrow handed her a grey sweatshirt and another pair of gym shorts and told her where to find a towel. Annabelle watched him suspiciously over her shoulder before entering the bathroom and closing the door behind her.

xxx

Roy breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the fan go on in the bathroom. His anxiety had been growing since yesterday evening. He had hoped he would be able to shoot up after his nightly patrol of the city, but finding Annabelle had put a damper on his plans. He quickly dug through his drawer searching for the zip lock bag that held the beautiful white powder. He had only started experimenting with the drug about a month ago. It surprised him how much he felt like he needed it, but Roy convinced himself that he could stop any time he wanted to… he just didn't want to yet.

The feeling it gave him was euphoric, a sense of freedom and release that he craved. Nothing stood in his way while on the drug. The high was electrifying, the low a complete break from the real world. The best part was that he got to feel both. He would have to tone it down a bit, with Annabelle there, but he would make it work. He _had _to make it work. His fingers began to shake as he felt the bag under his finger tips.

xxx

Annabelle stood under the steaming water for what felt like forever. The bandages on her skin stretched uncomfortably as she moved under the water. She let the scalding liquid purify her skin, washing away the dirt and grime. She just wished that the water could cleanse the filth from her past as well. Last night had only been another chapter in the horror story that was her life.

At age seven, her father had died in a tragic car accident, leaving Annabelle, her mother, and her older brother to fend for themselves. They had lived in a small town on the outskirts of Metropolis. Annabelle always believed that her mother had also died the night she lost her father. Lillian Johnston lost the will to live, choosing to find escape in alcohol rather than try to survive for the sake of her children. Her brother Sam, who had been sixteen at the time, dropped out of school and started doing odd jobs to earn money. Eventually, he entered into a gang and started doing heroin to relieve the pressure of providing for his family. That one little drug ruined Annabelle's life. When Sam's drug problem reached dangerous degrees, Annabelle had been to young to understand or even help, and her mother was usually to drunk to care. Sam died from an overdose, his body dumped on their front porch.

Annabelle went through her school years as the girl with the screwed up family. None of the other kids wanted to even come near her. She was relentlessly teased and judged regardless of how nice she tried to be. Eventually she gave up and hardened herself against everyone, turning to pen and paper to express her true emotions. Despite her scarring childhood, Annabelle stayed with her mother until Lillian met Jeff Stone; a cruel, formidable, disgusting man who decided to drain what was left of the Johnston's bank account on liquor. Annabelle ran away the first night that the asshole tried to touch her.

Fourteen, barely through her freshman year of high school, Annabelle went from city to city. She stayed at women refugees mostly, gradually earning enough money as a waitress or by selling her artwork to buy a shabby, rundown apartment in Star City. Living in a world wrought with crime and heroes had its advantages since Annabelle was able to capture photos of crime fighters. It had only been a few months before that Star City News had hired her as a Crisis Photographer. No one else was willing to risk their safety to get such amazing shots….

xxx

After her skin turned pink, she looked around for soap and hair stuff. To her dismay, she couldn't locate any kind of body wash or shampoo. She watched the water swirl down the drain while she pondered what to do. There really was no point to showering if she couldn't scrub clean…

_The guy has already seen me completely naked, we slept in the same bed for god's sake!_ Skin steaming slightly, she wrapped the towel around her body, and went to go ask Red Arrow for some soap. She opened the bathroom door, getting chills as the cold air attacked her skin. Annabelle heard movement in another room down the hall. She went towards it, following the light that slipped past the doorway.

"Red Arrow?" she whispered hoarsely, pushing open the door. What she saw made her take a step back. Red Arrow sat at a desk, a bag filled with what was undeniably heroin at his side, needle in hand. A discarded spoon and lighter lay on the desktop. At her entrance, Red Arrow had turned to her in shock. Some part of Annabelle knew that seeing her would make Red Arrow's body produce adrenaline, which in turn would make the drug course through his body faster. She watched in stunned silence as his face began to relax, a blank look replacing his shocked expression. He stared to rise from the chair, eyes shifting from her to his surroundings slowly. Annabelle shook her head in utter disbelief at what she was seeing; her savior, her hero, brought down by the same drug that led to her brothers death.

She wanted to shake him, scream at him, take the drugs from him and dump them down the drain….but she didn't. One, single tear escaped her blue eyes. She turned away from the struggling Red Arrow and ran from the room. She quickly grabbed her jacket and underwear from the laundry room. Discarding her towel, she pulled on her clothes and shoes, sprinting out the door. She exited the building and ran out into the storm.

Annabelle didn't know where she was going, only that she had to get away. She didn't even notice the torrential downpour overhead until the rain mixed with her own tears, making it impossible to see. Annabelle stopped on the side walk, breathing hard, occasionally blinded as a car drove past, the headlights reflecting painfully. Her body was trembling, from shock or the cold, she didn't care.

_Come on Annabelle, you've gotten through much worse than this…_

But the truth was, she hadn't. Annabelle had never let herself get that close to someone so quickly, and then have all her trust and hope in them be destroyed right before her eyes. Ignoring this fact, she straightened her back sniffling slightly, and took a good look around her.

"Crap." she groaned to herself, clearing her throat. She didn't have the faintest idea of where she was. Annabelle shrieked when a crack of thunder and lightning passed right over her. She took a deep shuddering breath and pushed her hectic emotions aside, immediately going into survival mode.

_Find the subway, get warm, go home…_ these were her three main priorities, and as long as she had something to focus on, she could push away the feelings that threatened to destroy her. She set a brisk pace down the street and asked a newspaper vender where the subway was as she passed by. The man had a cigarette sticking out of his mouth, and he gave her a funny look, but he muttered the directions at her, and Annabelle went on her way.

She almost slipped on the wet stairs that led down into the subway station. She grabbed onto the railing as she descended onto the dimly lit platform. It smelled like fuel and urine, but Annabelle didn't really care. She hugged her body as though she could hold in all the pieces of herself as she waited for the train. A few people loitered around her and she received some strange looks, though she definitely wasn't the oddest dressed person.

Annabelle focused on the roaring sound of the train approaching. Her legs were bare and frozen, the skin beginning to turn blue. The hem of her soaked jacket barely reached her mid thigh, but she was glad to have it. The train rolled up to the platform, and Annabelle got on quickly, making her way to the back corner seat, somewhat secluded from everyone else. As the train began to pull away from the station, Annabelle surveyed the map and realized that it would take over half an hour to get home. Sighing heavily, she curled up on the seat and tried to stop from shivering.

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	5. Chapter 5

Annabelle blinked the sunlight out of her eyes as she woke. She groaned and was pleasantly surprised to hear her voice working properly. She situated herself out of the suns range and lay sprawled out, staring at the ceiling while mentally preparing herself for whatever happened next. She tried not to think about the last two days. Annabelle chanted to herself that she had to keep moving forward, always had to be ahead of the past, ahead of the pain. Sliding out of bed, she hastily put together a suitable outfit for work. As she changed, she tore off the bandages from her back. The skin around the cut stung from the adhesive, but the wound itself had healed perfectly. Annabelle craned her neck to see a tiny scar stretch across her skin lightly. She laced her brown calf-length boots over her navy blue tights. The dark blue floral dress and black shawl she wore would be warm enough, the sunlight streaming into her apartment assuredly.

She looked at her reflection in the mirror, dismayed when she saw her puffy, bloodshot eyes staring back at her. Ten minuets of artistically skilled makeup application fixed the problem. She quickly stuffed her camera, an apple, and some other miscellaneous girl items into her trusty shoulder bag. Ruffling her hair to pixie perfection, Annabelle walked out of her apartment, holding her head proudly up to the sun, determined to push the new addition into her series of unfortunate events behind her.

As the tall office building of Star City News loomed up before her, Annabelle braced herself, standing tall and dignified as she prepared to enter the circular doors. With an air of confidence that she didn't feel on the inside, she made her way through the lobby, up the elevator and to her small cubicle. Before she could even put down her shoulder bag, a deafening voice called out to her angrily.

"JOHNSTON! My office, NOW!" Annabelle sighed and put her bag down on her desk. Mrs. Derek, the motherly plump woman who sat across from Annabelle gave her an apologetic look. Annabelle gave her a halfhearted smile and went to her boss's office feeling her forced confidence crumpling.

"Sir?" she asked softly as she entered his office. Mr. Stanford sat with his leather shoes on his desk, reclined in a chair, phone wedged between his shoulder and his ear as he took a call. He motioned impatiently for her to close the door. After working for him for three months, Annabelle had noticed that her boss was extremely vocal.

"I don't care if his cat died, get him to the Court House NOW. If you two idiots miss the Senator's speech, YOU'RE BOTH FIRED!" he screamed into the phone before hanging it up with a bang. He sat up properly in his chair and folded his meaty hands under his chin, casually regarding Annabelle.

"You didn't come in yesterday, I trust you were doing something important…" he said feigning kindness.

"I'm very sorry, sir. Something came up, and-" Annabelle began but her boss cut her off with a raised hand.

"I could care less about your excuse. What I care about is that you have those shots from Wednesday's bank robbery. I wanted to publish those this morning, but since my photographer didn't leave them on my desk yesterday, I wasn't able to. Now, can you see why that might make me a little upset?" he asked her, voice beginning to rise. He shoved a copy of The S.C. Journal into her face, a blurry shot of Bat Man throwing a Batarang at a criminal headlined the front page.

"I hate to say it, but you had a shot that was ten times better, Johnston. And you had more than one hero in it!" her boss said pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers.

"I'm sorry, sir. It wont ever happen again, I promise." Annabelle stated nervously.

"If you weren't so talented, and didn't get me such close shots, I'd probably fire you. But, you're a talented photographer, and we need you here. I can forgive you this one time, I suppose." Mr. Stanford said grudgingly. He sat back in his chair and sighed heavily.

"So, where are the pictures?" he asked her expectantly. Annabelle's face drained of color. In her rush to get out of Red Arrow's penthouse, she had completely forgotten to grab the manila folder, the envelope that held her developed film strips.

"Um, about that…" she started quietly. Mr. Stanford sat up impatiently.

"Out with it Johnston." he ordered, making Annabelle cringe.

"You see, sir,- the thing is- I don't have them…" she finished lamely, awaiting her boss's rage. She peered up at him hesitantly. His face was growing red from his suppressed anger, reminding Annabelle of an inflating balloon. She could clearly picture her boss's head exploding with a loud _pop! _Thankfully, Mr. Stanford's phone rang again, momentarily distracting him.

"WHAT?" he roared into the device, quite possibly deafening the person on the other end of the receiver. He listened for a few moments, periodically mumbling agreement or nodding his head. He hung up the phone quickly and rounded on Annabelle.

"I'm giving you one more chance kid, one _last_ chance. My source says that a fight is breaking out downtown. You get your useless butt down there and get me some priceless pictures otherwise you're out of here…for good." Mr. Stanford explained threateningly. Annabelle was temporarily frozen, trying to understand what had just happened. Mr. Stanford slammed his palm against his desk loudly.

"JOHNSTON! Go! Now, as in run! Before I change my mind!" he shouted. Annabelle cringed and ran out of the office, racing past her desk to grab her bag. Mrs. Derek looked at her quizzically, but wished her luck as Annabelle sprinted to the elevator.

xxx

Roy woke up with an insane headache. He took a raspy breath, his throat burning for water, his mouth felt like it was full of cotton. He had passed out two feet away from his front door, slumped against the wall.

_Where was I going?_ he thought to himself before the memories of yesterday came crashing down on him. He groaned when he remembered Annabelle running out of his apartment, how he had passed out after he tried to follow her. Roy slid into the standing position slowly, arms and legs like lead weights hanging at his sides uselessly. He looked around the penthouse in a daze. His bow and arrows were propped up against the kitchenette countertop just where he had left them. He furrowed his brow as the light from the window caught on a yellow envelope protruding from the arrow sheath.

xxx

Annabelle hailed a cab as she ran from the office building. Her job was on the line, and she was panicking. If she was fired, she would have to search for another photography gig at a different newspaper, and if that failed, she'd have to move again. Annabelle got into a slowing taxi and directed the driver hastily. As she sat in the back seat, Annabelle withdrew her trusty camera, an old Nixon d-40, the last gift her father gave her. She had kept it in mid condition, and it had provided her with detailed photographs every time she hit the capture button. The taxi stopped at an intersection just as a huge explosion erupted a block in front of them.

"Sorry lady, this is as far as I'll go…" the driver said turning back to look at Annabelle. She shoved twenty dollars into his open palm and jumped out of the car, running towards the chaos.

"Where are you going? Are you crazy? You'll get yourself killed!" the man called after her. Annabelle ignored him completely and kept running. She could see figures in the distance, all converged around some kind of machine. As Annabelle got closer, she ducked behind an abandoned car as the fighting raged before her. Passerbys were running away frantically as six teens, four boys and two girls, attacked a large, circular robot that moved with the use of four spidery legs. Annabelle steadied her camera and shot a photo of one of the teens, Robin she recalled, planting a bomb on the top of the robot. He fell safely to the ground as the explosive went off, but the weapon seemed to have no effect on his enemy.

As a blonde girl drew her arm back to skillfully release an arrow, Annabelle took another photo, capturing the exact moment of the weapons release. The robot was unfazed by the projectiles. One of the boys, Superboy Annabelle remembered, repeatedly attacked the robots legs with his bare hands, roaring his rage at the machine, undaunted as the robot threw him away. Annabelle took a picture of him as he raced to attack his enemy again.

A dark skinned, well built boy attempted to battle the machine in close combat as well, using an alien sort of weaponry to strike its legs. The robot retaliated, grabbing the boy quickly and throwing him across the street. His body crashed into the car that Annabelle was positioned behind. He sat up and looked at her, annoyed.

"You should not be here. It is not safe for civilians." he chastised her. A cry of pain from Superboy erupted from the other side of the street and the boy ran off. Annabelle quickly took a picture of him doing a high jump attack , and recognized him as AquaLad. She wondered why a group of teenagers, a bunch of sidekicks, was sent to deal with a robot this powerful. Periodic explosions of differing size and magnitude went off around her creating a cloud of smoke, but providing dramatic lighting on the scene. Annabelle moved from her post and made her way carefully to the other side of the street, wanting to get a better angle. She snapped photos of each of the heroes, catching them unawares and in mid-action each time. It was perfect, Mr. Stanford couldn't fire her with these shots. Annabelle had just started feeling good about the way her day was turning out when she saw the semi-truck flying toward her at an incredible speed.

Not seeing any escape from the airborne vehicle, Annabelle cringed and awaited the end. The sun, which had been shining through the thin screen of smoke, had been in her eyes a moment before. Now a shadow extinguished all traced of its light. Time seemed to stand still. Annabelle was pleasantly surprised when the truck floated silently above her for a few moments instead of crashing into her. The green girl, a relative of Marian Manhunter's Annabelle guessed, flew gracefully into her line of sight. She waved at Annabelle, providing another great shot, and flew off, using the semi-truck as a weapon.

"Thanks…" Annabelle said gratefully. She had enough photos, and the fighting was beginning to get a little to close for her liking. Annabelle retreated back down the street, pausing and turning back to watch the battle continue. Once she got a picture of the end result, she'd go.

As she passed an opening to a side street, a gloved hand grabbed her arm and pulled her down the alley quickly. Annabelle was about to scream when she realized that it was Red Arrow who held her. All of the painful memories of the last two days came rushing back at her, hitting like a battering ram. She instantly went on the defensive and glared, snatching her arm away from him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her, clearly annoyed. "Haven't you been in enough danger for one week?"

Annabelle crossed her arms and looked at him coldly. How dare he act as if he cared.

"I don't see how that is any of your concern. Leave me alone." she stated turning away from him. He grabbed her shoulder and turned her back towards him.

"I'm not letting you go back out there. You could get hurt. Come with me, I'll find you a cab to take you away from here." Red Arrow said, trying to steer Annabelle away from the fight. She stepped away from him, pulling out of his grasp roughly.

"Don't tell me what to do. I'll stay until I want to leave. Its none of your business what I'm doing. Just go away!" she practically screamed at him, turning back to the battle and hurrying away. She was afraid that if she went with him, if she got close to him again, he'd hurt her like he did before.

"Annabelle! Stop!" he called after her, but she ignored him. As she exited the side street, the other heroes had just finished destroying the robot and were standing before its exploding remains. With shaky hands, Annabelle captured the shot, unwilling to let the moment pass by, despite her crazy emotions. She ran down the street and eventually she found a cab. Sitting in the back seat clutching her camera tightly, Annabelle let down her walls and cried.

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	6. Chapter 6

Annabelle went straight to her bosses office, entered the room without knocking and slammed the photos onto his desk. Mr. Stanford looked up at her with narrowed eyes.

"I'll call you back." he said into the phone at his ear. He straightened up and scrutinized the pictures with a critical air. After several moments, he stood up from his chair, strode across the room and yelled out the door.

"KNOX! Get your lazy ass over here and get these pictures on the front page of our morning edition! CARMICHAEL! Start typing up some captions for these! And for gods sake, can someone bring me a coffee!" he came up beside Annabelle and put a hand on her shoulder proudly.

"You've done it again kid, congrats. See Peggy on your way out today. She'll be adding a nice bonus to your paycheck." Annabelle thanked him shortly and walked out of his office to her desk. Mrs. Derek smiled at her kindly as Annabelle slumped down into her chair utterly exhausted. She had cried way too many times in the last few days for her liking. Her emotions were running wild, and she went through a tremendous amount of effort to not let it show. She had been sufficiently shaken up from the almost rape, been the closest to happy with Red Arrow than she had been in a long time, and then completely broken up inside when she saw him on drugs. Then he had come back, tried to act like he could protect her again, like he could still be her hero. Annabelle took a shaky breath, beating the wave of emotion back as Mrs. Derek rummaged around her desk.

"Oh, dear, I almost forgot. Someone dropped this off for you right after you went downtown. They seemed to be in quite a rush, didn't catch their name…"she said distractedly as she handed Annabelle a slightly crumpled manila folder. Annabelle's eyes widened and her hands shook as she looked inside the envelope. Sure enough, her photos from the bank robbery were safely inside, snug against a small white strip of paper. Annabelle pulled it out slowly, heart beginning to tighten. Thin scratchy writing in red ink read ~_Sorry_

Annabelle crumpled the note in her hand and squeezed her eyes shut, willing the tears to go away.

"Dear, is something the matter?" Mrs. Derek asked concerned, looking at Annabelle worriedly. Annabelle took a couple breaths and put the note inside her shawl pocket.

"No, no. I'm fine. I better get these to Mr. Sanford." she said grabbing the photos and going towards her bosses office again wondering how on earth was she going to explain this one…

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Roy walked the streets of Star City wallowing in self pity. He had been rejected by the same girl, twice, and it was entirely his fault. What had he been thinking? Of course she wouldn't want to be with a loser, a druggy, a failure. He just _had _to try and be the hero… That's what had hurt him the most though; that Annabelle didn't want him, didn't need him to be her hero, to be protected by someone like him. The coldness in her eyes when she turned away from him told Roy more than her words ever could. She must hate him…

Roy eventually made it back to his apartment, changing quickly. His pain made him selfish, stupid, irrational. He rampaged around the penthouse, taking his frustration out on the walls and miscellaneous items in his path. So what if Annabelle hated him? Why did he care? If he couldn't get Annabelle out of his head, then he'd find something to make the thought of her disappear. He had run out of heroin, using the last of it the other morning when she'd been with him. All he wanted to do was get insanely drunk, get some more drugs, and hit something…hard.

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Annabelle didn't end up leaving the office until really late. She had to stay with Carmichael and help him distinguish one hero from the other. She also had to give Grant, the column writer, an exact account of what she saw happening downtown. He had been more than a little upset at her for not knowing why the robot attacked in the first place. As she stepped into the elevator, she called goodnight to them and left. Mr. Stanford had been extremely pleased that she had 'found' the other pictures and he put them in the days evening edition of the paper. Annabelle checked her watch as the elevator descended slowly. 7:42? Crap… well, at least tonight she had pepper spray and a pocket knife on her. She wasn't taking any chances, so she slipped them into her shawl pockets for easy access. As she put the knife in, her fingers brushed against Red Arrows note.

Annabelle took the paper out of her pocket, slowly uncrinkling it. The red word glared back at her accusingly. ~_Sorry_

She sighed heavily as the elevator doors opened. She folded the note nicely and put it back in her pocket. She walked outside, head spinning. So…. he cared enough to return her photos, which she had made a point of telling him were important. He cared enough to try and get her to safety that morning, downtown. Annabelle shook herself mentally.

_No, he may care, but that doesn't matter…you don't need that pain in your life again…it can only end badly, he's a hero and a druggie- to much baggage…and besides you were kind of a bitch to him earlier….._

Annabelle cringed as she remembered that afternoon in the alleyway. She had been hurt, and blinded by her pain. She had acted in self preservation. So why did she feel like crap?

_You like him…_ Annabelle furrowed her brow and shook her head clear of this thought. Sometimes the voice of reason in her head could be a real pain. She sat as still as a statue on the subway ride home, watching the images blur past her in the window numbly. When she reached her stop, Annabelle was glad for the fresh air of the street, but felt extremely vulnerable out in the open.

Annabelle focused on her surroundings, heightening her senses until it hurt. She was so scared that she would see the men who had tried to rape her again. She already saw their faces, heard their voices in her nightmares. Every sound had her flinching, every mans voice made her cringe in fear. She hugged her arms around herself and made herself keep walking, made herself think about something else, anything else other than the men, Red Arrow, everything…

_That bonus will be nice. Maybe now I can buy those paints I need to finish my painting, oh! And a new brush, and some-_

The slam of a metal door pierced through her thoughts and made her freeze, flinching. Realizing that she wasn't in immediate danger, Annabelle shook herself angrily.

_Damnit! I cant keep doing that every time something happens….pull yourself together Annabelle!_

Annabelle saw light coming from an alleyway ahead of her. Raised voices echoed down the street towards her. It sounded like a fight was breaking out.

_Just walk past it. Don't slow down, don't even look, just keep walking…_ Annabelle kept her pace fast and her steps quiet as she made her way down the street. She was only three blocks from her apartment. She could make it if she had to run…

As she approached the alleyway, she could see the shadows of figures farther down. Grunts and yells could easily be heard over the shuffling, and as Annabelle walked past the alleyways entrance, she could see that a fight really had broken out. A streak of red hair made her stop and stare at the scene.

Four guys were laying into one figure who fought back from the ground. Though he was clearly outnumbered, the lone fighter seemed to be holding his own against the others, getting in a few good hits before going down hard. The others backed off a bit when they saw he had stopped moving. After a few angry remarks, they went back inside the metal door that led into a loud, smoky bar. One man kicked the figure as he passed by. None of them saw Annabelle as she stared, frozen on the street.

She stood in silence for a few moments after they were gone. The figure lay on the ground motionlessly, face in the dirt, red hair the color of blood in the light of the streetlamp above him. Annabelle hoped with all her heart that the man before her wasn't Red Arrow, but she could not leave here until she was certain.

With short, hesitant steps she made her way towards him, kneeling at a distance from his side. He had fallen on his stomach with one arm beneath him, the other stretched out towards the street. He was wearing a black dress shirt and dark blue jeans. Annabelle could see the leather of a black belt around his waist. She could also smell the alcohol on his body, seeping from his pores and making her nose wrinkle.

Annabelle inhaled sharply and pushed him over onto his side so that she could see his face. Her racing heart dropped down into her stomach as she realized her fears were true. Even without the mask covering his closed eyes, Annabelle could recognize him. Red Arrow's dirt smeared face rolled onto his shoulder limply.

Annabelle searched for his heartbeat, his breathing, frantically checking that everything (except his bruising face) was okay. She took his face between her hands gently and wiped away the dirt from his cheek, feeling the swelling bumps beneath her fingertips. His lip was cut, dripping blood onto his chin. Both of his eyes were puffing up, and a gash above his right eyebrow was beginning to bleed.

_Okay, well, he's alive….alive and very much unconscious. What now?_ Annabelle realized with a jolt that this must have been exactly what had gone through his head when he found her passed out in an alleyway. She rested his head back down and sat back on her heels.

_There's no way I can get him all the way to the hospital. He's too heavy, and too drunk to help me. He'd probably be upset and I don't even know his real name to check him in. But I cant just leave him here. He wouldn't even be able to find his way home…_

Annabelle looked down at the boy below her and groaned. She realized there really was only one thing to do. With a heavy sigh and an extreme amount of effort, Annabelle hoisted Red Arrow up and got him on his feet unsteadily, using the nearby wall to lift his weight. She wrapped one of his arms over her shoulder to support him up and positioned his body over to one side. She pushed away from the wall and tried to center his weight, but Annabelle's knees buckled under the pressure. She fell to one knee panting heavily, Red Arrows body against hers. Annabelle tried once more to stand up and with a loud groan, she began to shuffle out of the alley, dragging Red Arrow's deadweight with her.

"Red Arrow! Hello, anybody in there!" Annabelle said into his ear, trying to get him semi-conscious. He answered her with incoherent mumbles, the alcohol on his breath invading her nose. She sighed in defeat and kept walking. For Annabelle Johnston, three blocks had never felt so far…

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	7. Chapter 7

**Hey all...sorry about the wait! Please enjoy and comment, your reviews and constructive critisism means a lot to me 3**

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Annabelle struggled with the light as she tried to steady Red Arrows semiconscious body. Quickly closing the door behind her, Annabelle stumbled her way through her one bedroom apartment. She was tired and out of breath from dragging Red Arrows much bigger body to her home.

"God! Could you be any heavier?" Annabelle groaned. She tugged him towards the only place to sit, her neatly made bed. She let his body fall onto the mattress with a thud. She tipped backwards from the lack of his weight, but regained her balance and bent over with her hands on her knees, breathing hard. After a few moments Annabelle stood, flipping her bangs out of her face. She surveyed Red Arrow sprawled out on her bed and sighed heavily.

Annabelle walked to the kitchen area of the room and grabbed a bowl from the cupboard and an icepack from her mini fridge. She quickly filled the bowl with steaming water and went in search of a cloth. Annabelle brought the items to the small dresser beside her bed. Kenneling at the bedside, she dipped the cloth into the bowl of warm water and began to gently wipe the dirt off Red Arrows face. She dabbed gently at his eyebrow and split lip until most of the dried blood was gone.

Placing the soiled cloth and bowl of water in the sink, Annabelle returned to the bed. She carefully placed the gel icepack against Red Arrows face, hoping that the healing cold would bring the swelling down. His left eye had already started to turn a darker shade and Annabelle could see that the right one wasn't far behind. She bent down close to his ear and tried once more to revive him.

"Red Arrow! Time to wake up…Hello?" she called into his ear. Red Arrows head turned towards her with a grunt, his ice pack brushing against her nose and falling onto the bed. Annabelle repositioned it and backed away from him exasperated. It was hot in her apartment, and the effort of carrying Red Arrow there had left Annabelle in need of a shower. She turned on a ceiling fan, gathered pajamas, and walked into her tiny bathroom. Annabelle closed the door and stripped out of her clothing, turning on the water immediately to give it time to warm up.

She stood by the shower, eyes closed and hands running through her hair agitated, as the water began to heat up. It seemed that she couldn't get away from the guy currently passed out on her bed. Annabelle had never been one to believe in fate, but the reoccurring coincidences were started to unnerve her. Plus, her emotions had been on a constant spiral since she'd met him. She could feel herself gradually losing control of the situation….

The hot water brought a little relief, relaxing her tense and sore muscles, but Annabelle was unable to enjoy it, her thoughts spinning so much that she felt sick. It seemed like every time she was near Red Arrow her life became 10 times more complicated. Red Arrow….she didn't even know his real name, had only met him two days ago.

_He saved me…_she remembered, once again bringing up the horrible scene in her mind. _I could never repay him for all he has done…._

Annabelle left the steamy sanctuary of the shower and changed quickly into her pajamas. She glanced into the small mirror, suddenly self conscious, before leaving the bathroom. The reflection of a small frightened girl stared back at her, blue eyes guarded. The stuffy air of her apartment began to suffocate her as soon as she opened the door. Annabelle quickly made her way to the small window above her kitchen sink and opened it as wide as it would go, taking grateful gulps of air as it rushed into the room. Annabelle leaned against her kitchen counter for a few moments, slightly on her tiptoes, back to Red Arrow. The cool air upon her face made shivers run down her spine. A groan from behind her made her slowly turn her head. Red Arrow was trying to sit up, his hand coming up to cradle his forehead. The ice pack fell from his face to the floor and Annabelle went to his side as his expression contorted in pain.

"Don't try to get up." she said softly, placing a hand on his chest to try and lower him back down. Red Arrow's eyes locked on her, widening in surprise. Annabelle fell back slightly, surprised by the color of his eyes. Two blue eyes, not clear like hers, but swirling with black hints stared back at her.

"Annabelle?" he slurred reaching for her, but his arm fell across his chest, holding his ribs gingerly.

"Lay down." Annabelle ordered bringing a pillow behind his head. She felt like an idiot for not checking the rest of his body for injury. With increasing guilt, Annabelle began fumbling with the buttons of his shirt. When his chest was bare, she could see bruises beginning to form across his body. Annabelle bit her bottom lip and scrunched up her nose at the discolored skin, but she couldn't help noticing Red Arrows amazing build. To her surprise, a low rumbling laugh came from below her.

"That bad huh?" Red Arrow muttered quietly, leaning his head back watching the ceiling fan rotate slowly above him. Annabelle didn't answer but bent down to the ground and retrieved the ice pack that had fallen. She repositioned it against his cheek gently, grabbing his hand and placing it on the pack to keep it still. Without a word, Annabelle rushed to her mini fridge and emptied it of every single piece of ice she could find. She transferred the ice into two plastic baggies with numbing fingers, wrapping the bags lightly in paper towels.

"Here, where does it hurt the most?" Annabelle asked him unsure. Red Arrow lifted his head slightly off the pillow and pointed to his left side. Annabelle bent over his body and adjusted one of the icepacks between his injured ribs and left arm. She tried not to brush against his body as she straightened up. Red arrow pointed at his waist, and Annabelle's gaze traveled downwards. Where his pants started, a bruise was spreading across his right hip. Annabelle's cheeks began to flush and she started to bite her bottom lip again.

"Relax, I've got boxers on…" Red Arrow slurred, eyes looking around the apartment. When Annabelle made no move, he sighed heavily.

"I cant do this by myself, I need your help." he said gesturing to his pants and belt. He laughed as she looked at him hesitantly and laid back down. The alcohol in his system was making everything fuzzy and hot and insanely hilarious. Some part of him, the part that had dominant control of him, wanted to make a move on Annabelle as her hands worked over his body, teasingly innocent. The other part of him, the one screaming at the back of his mind, knew that trying anything on her would ruin whatever feelings she still had for him forever.

Annabelle's cold fingers brushing against his hip forced him to lean his head back into the pillow to stifle a moan. Instead of thinking about the sexual reaction that she was causing, Roy focused on the pain of his body. His face was beaten to shit, his left ribs either broken or fractured, and his hip felt like it was shattered. But, Roy knew from experience that what injuries felt like was completly different from what they were. Annabelle removed his shoes, pants and belt with slow hesitant movements. The alcohol was making it hard to keep his eyes open even though he had been unconscious a few minutes ago. Roy could feel his small burst of energy slipping away.

"I'm going to see if my neighbor has some ice. You'll be okay here for a few seconds right?" Annabelle said lightly after the icepack was in place on Red Arrows hip. She intentionally kept her sight trained on a stain on the wall, trying to keep her embarrassment from showing on her face. Roy would have laughed had the effort to stay awake not been so hard. As Annabelle turned to go, Roy reached out and grasped her wrist. Annabelle stopped in her tracks with her back to him.

"Thank you." Roy whispered, closing his eyes and slowly releasing his hold on her. Annabelle stood quietly for a moment lost in thought. Having Red Arrow at her apartment, injured, really shouldn't make her emotions and life feel like they were stuck in a washing machine. As she crossed her home and went to her landlords door, she tried to organize her thoughts.

1. Red Arrow is in my apartment

2. Red Arrow is laying drunk and injured on my bed….oh, and he's practically naked...and currently passed out again

3. I owe Red Arrow my life

4. Red Arrow is really, really…well, for lack of a better word, hot

5. Red Arrow has a lot of issues

6. I have a lot of issues

7. I'm getting ice

Annabelle's landlord, an older woman who went by the name of Betty, was not pleased about being woken up at 10:23 at night for a bucket of ice. Eventualy, after reciveing an earful about common deacency, with the ice in hand, Annabelle made her way back into her apartment. She stopped in the doorway and looked down on the man lying in her bed. He was sprawled, head slightly resting on his muscular shoulder, arms and legs thrown out in an uncomfortable looking position.

After locking the door and turning off all but the bedside light, Annabelle rearranged his body, placed bags full of ice on his bruises, bandaged the small cuts on his face, and sat next to him on the opposite side of the bed. Annabelle lay down on top of the covers and curled up against Red Arrows side. The ice and fan brought a welcome cool to the suffocatingly hot apartment. Feeling exhaustion taking hold, she reached over him and turned off the light. Annabelle lay in still silence, feeling the rise and fall of Red Arrows breathing beside her. She closed her eyes and submitted to the darkness, but not before one last conscious thought could break to the surface.

8. I think I like him


	8. Chapter 8

Roy woke up with a splitting headache and an incessant ringing in his ears. His vision was blurry and his body was cold as the ice packs melted against his skin. He sat up slowly, holding his body gingerly as he swung his feet to the edge of the bed. After blinking for several minutes, Roy looked around the unfamiliar apartment. Annabelle stood with her back to him, wielding a paintbrush expertly across a canvas. The smell of coffee invaded his nose, and he could see a tiny pot brewing on the small counter top. He looked around the whole room, but settled his gaze back on Annabelle as she gracefully added details to her painting with a rapidly diminishing paint supply. Suddenly, she sighed and backed up, and Roy could see the whole masterpiece before her.

"Who's the guy?" he asked, clearing his throat. Annabelle had painted a detailed landscape of a mountain side and a valley, complete with a waterfall and a filed of wildflowers, but worked into the scenery were the gentle features of a man, his eyes closed. Annabelle turned to him, a far away look in her eyes, like she didn't really see him.

"My brother, Sam." she answered softly, looking back at her work. She put away her paints and brushes and went to the sink to wash of her stained hands and arms.

"Coffee?" she asked Red Arrow grabbing two cups, her only two cups, from the small cupboard. He nodded and began to gather the melted icepacks. He stood up slowly, stretching the soreness out of his muscles. He looked down at his bruised body and assessed the damage. He glanced back up to find Annabelle also staring at his body, and a smug expression took its place on his face. He met the gaze of her clear blue eyes and made a decision that went against every ounce of common sense he had.

"Look," he said, taking the offered cup of coffee from her hand, "we could totally ignore all feelings we have for each other and go our separate ways after I finish this cup of coffee…" he watched Annabelle carefully for her reaction, but her expression remained impassive.

"…Or, because it seems that we cant stay away from each other, we could try this out…being together…and see how it works." he suggested hoping that Annabelle would pick the ladder choice.

She broke eye contact first, looking down into her coffee. She had admitted to herself that morning that waking up next to this boy was invigorating. Now he offered her a choice between a life of wondering what if… or a possible amazing relationship/ horrible experience.

"We each have things that the other may not like… the drugs-" she began softly. Before he knew what he was doing, Roy blurted out,

"It will never happen again as long as we're together". It was a stupid thing to say, Roy had no way of knowing whether or not he could get off the drug that easily, if sheer willpower would be enough; but his desperation to be with Annabelle, to not be alone was clouding his mind. As long as she believed in him, needed him, Roy felt like he could do anything.

Annabelle looked back up at Red Arrow doubtfully. She liked him, a lot, but she didn't know if she could handle being betrayed again. She knew what the drug did to people, but she so badly wanted to believe that the man in front of her could change, that she could fix him. She was tired of being alone.

"I don't even know your name." Annabelle pointed out taking a sip of her coffee. Red Arrow smirked.

"Harper, Roy Harper." he said. Annabelle couldn't help but laugh at him as he stood in her apartment wearing nothing but his boxers, introducing himself as if he were a famous movie star. Roy glared at her, but she couldn't stop giggling.

"Well Roy Harper, its Saturday, and that's my day off…if we're going to do this, you're going to have to ask me out on a date first." Annabelle said turning away from him and heading to the fridge to put the ice packs away. Roy stopped pouting and looked after her in surprise…she said yes.

"You can get cleaned up if you want. The bathroom is there. And I can put your clothes through the wash…" Annabelle pointed to a small door to his right. Roy shook his head.

"The clothes are okay, but I'll take a shower. You should get ready." he said gathering his clothes and heading to the bathroom.

"Where are we going?" Annabelle asked a little excited.

"It's a surprise. Be prepared for anything." Roy answered smugly, closing the bathroom door behind him before she could protest.

_Now where do people go on dates?_ he wondered to himself as he turned on the shower.

XXX

Annabelle swept around her apartment looking for an outfit….all these clothes, and she had absolutely nothing to wear! Finally, she settled on a pair of black denim shorts and an off the shoulder red and white swirled tank top. Her small radio proclaimed that the weather would be clear skies and temperatures would rise to about 90 degrees. Just as she was brushing out her hair, Roy came out of the bathroom towel drying his hair, pants on, shirt unbuttoned.

Annabelle couldn't help but stare at him. His body was bruised, and his left eye was a bit swollen. The cuts on his face were disappearing into tiny scars. Regardless of the small imperfections, Annabelle thought Roy looked amazing, even more so with the wounds. She quickly tore her eyes away and finished getting ready so that he wouldn't have to wait for her. She wished that she had more time to do her makeup, suddenly self conscious of how she looked, but she was interested to see where the day would take her.

Fifteen minutes had her in the passenger seat of a shiny red mustang. Annabelle was so used to walking that it felt strange to be driven around while not in a cab. She spread her fingers over the black leather seat in amazement.

"So, where are we going?" Annabelle asked staring at the high-tech devices inside the vehicle in awe.

"Do you like roller coasters?" Roy asked her suddenly, the question catching Annabelle off guard. She raised her eyebrow at him hesitantly.

"Yes…" she answered slowly, trying to decipher whether that was a clue.

"Good. Stop asking, I highly doubt you'll guess anyway." Roy answered smirking at her. Annabelle pouted and looked out her window at the people who stared longingly after the car as they passed.

"So, your family must be loaded to afford something like this…" Annabelle said waving her hands around the car. Roy laughed.

"Ollie- I mean, Green Arrow bought this for me a couple months ago. A birthday gift…" he explained, hands gripping the steering wheel a little harder when he recalled the memory. Just after his eighteenth birthday, things had turned sore between him and his mentor. He turned onto the highway that would take them towards the bay area.

"If you don't mind my asking, what happened between you two? Why aren't you partners anymore?" Annabelle asked looking at him. Roy was silent for a few moments, and Annabelle worried that she had stepped on forbidden territory.

"I'm sorry. I work around a bunch of reporters…force of habit." Annabelle hurriedly tried to smooth things over again.

"There is this initiation, into the Justice League, that me and three other heroes were supposed to make. But it turned out that our partners didn't think that we were ready for the responsibility, that because we were just _sidekicks_ they could keep us on the sidelines. I left then, knowing that I would never earn the respect I deserved unless I stepped up and proved to them that I am good enough. So, here I am…" Roy trailed off looking at Annabelle's reaction. She met his gaze.

"Here you are…" she agreed. The two sat in silence for a moment, each with different thoughts swimming in their heads.

"So, does Green Arrow know about the dru-" Annabelle started but Roy shook his head. He took a deep breath.

"That started about two weeks after being on my own. There was this dealer who always pushed right on the corner by my place. I was heading over there to take him in to jail, but instead, I ended up buying. He told me how to do it. The first time, I messed up and practically spilled all of it on the floor, but I tried again and it felt amazing…" Roy shivered as he remembered the feeling. He glanced over at Annabelle as she stared out at the passing cars. He had told her this much, why not everything...

"After that, I started doing it every weekend, then every other day, then every night after patrol. It's been like this for almost a month." he continued disgusted with himself.

"But I can stop any time I want to. I'm stopping now…" Roy said convincingly. Annabelle looked at him hesitantly.

"We can go get help, professional help. From someone who knows what they're doing and what you're going through…"Annabelle reasoned doubting Roy's resolve.

"No…I can do this by myself. I don't need anyone's help. I just need you, Annabelle." Roy said. He caught her gaze and reached for her hand.

"I really like you Annabelle. You make me feel like I can do anything…" Roy confessed. Annabelle smiled and intertwined her fingers in his. Her hand was so small compared to his that it almost disappeared in his grasp.

"I really like you to." Annabelle admitted. They sat like that for ten minutes until Annabelle caught sight of where she hoped with all her heart was where they were going.

"Is that what I think it is?" Annabelle squealed with excitement, pointing out the window, practically bouncing out of her seat. Roy laughed at her reaction.

"Atlantic PlayLand? Yeah, that's it. But I figured we could go to the museum that's across the street. I hear they have some amazing fossil starfish that could be really interesting." Roy droned in a monotone voice. He glanced over at Annabelle and broke out into laughter at her expression. She had her arms crossed and looked like she was imagining killing him.

"I'm kidding." he said rolling his eyes as he turned onto the off ramp and navigated them into the parking lot.

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Sorry for the delay...am i the only one who thinks its totally lame that there have been no new episodes? What the heck!

as always, reviews= love


	9. Chapter 9

Annabelle squeaked in happiness as Roy handed her the ticket.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!" she said a huge smile breaking out over her face. She had always dreamed of this place as a kid, her brother Sam telling her the story of his first visit again and again. The Johnston's had planned to go for Annabelle's next birthday, but that was before tragedy struck. Since then, Atlantic PlayLand had remained a constant symbol of utter happiness just out of reach for Annabelle…and she was finally here!

"Are you always this excited?" Roy asked her, watching with growing amusement as Annabelle bounced on the balls of her feet impatiently as they waited in line at the front entrance.

"You have no idea what this means to me Roy…I cant even explain…" Annabelle whispered in delight as she watched a roller coaster car zoom above them on the track.

"Well, I'm glad you like it. This was my favorite place as a kid. When my dad was alive, he'd take me here practically every weekend." Roy remembering all the things he and his dad had done in the park. He suddenly missed his father…and Ollie…

"What do you want to do first?" Annabelle's uncontained excitement brought him out of his sadness. He glanced at her again and couldn't help but smile. She looked like a kid on Christmas morning.

"Whatever you want to do is fine with me…here, I'll get a map." Roy took a map from the pile as the two made their way through the main entrance. After passing through the gates, the park opened up into a main square full of shops and restaurants. Kids screams and the smell of cotton candy and sunscreen floated in the air.

"Can we go on a ride first?" Annabelle asked hopefully, eyes flickering across the map as she noted which rides looked the most awesome.

"Like I said before, whatever you want…" Roy assured her gesturing at the whole map. Annabelle saw a picture of a winding orange and red track close to the picture of the main entrance.

"El Diablo…ohh, that one sounds fun! Want to go on that?" Annabelle asked.

"Sure, I think that one is pretty new. I don't remember it." Roy answered checking the map and heading towards the coaster. Annabelle followed close beside him, trying to take in all the sights around her. Some part of her knew she was being childish and that she should be trying to impress her date, but she really didn't care….she was at Atlantic fucking PlayLand!

"If only Sam could see this…" she breathed, eyes flickering around the park as she turned around in a slow walking circle. So much happiness, no wonder he had told her this place was like magic. She remembered the way his eyes would light up when she asked him about it, how no matter how angry or sad she would feel, a promise to take her to this place would lift her spirits.

"Annabelle…" Roy called grabbing her hand gently, "are you going to space out in the middle of the park all day or are we going to go on that roller coaster?" he asked grinning at her.

"What? Oh, sorry- got lost in thought I guess…yeah, come on! El Diablo awaits." Annabelle said, taking the lead up into the line for the ride. The twists and loops of the track loomed high up above them, but Annabelle remained undaunted. She had been on one roller coaster her whole life, a small carnival ride at a town faire. She felt like she could handle it…

The handle bars came down in front of Annabelle's face with a low hiss and she began to feel like maybe this wasn't the best idea. The brakes released the track, and the car began its slow incline up the 300ft hill. With Roy strapped in beside her, Annabelle looked down towards the ground and suddenly wanted to vomit.

"Hey Roy?" she said, staring down at the people below. They were rapidly shrinking to the size of bugs.

"Yeah?" he answered, totally unbothered by the height.

"Um, remember when I told you I like roller coasters? Yeah, well, I've only ever been on one…You know the Gut-Grinder at the Star City Fair?"

Roy turned to look at her incredulously.

"The one that barely goes up twenty feet?…it only gets up to about 45 miles per hour…" he said looking at the upcoming drop then back to her.

"Yeah, that one…Is it to late to get off?" Annabelle asked as the front car disappeared down the drop. The next two and a half minutes were arguably the most terrifying of her life. As the coaster rolled up into the station, Annabelle unclenched her hands from the lap-bar. Her hair was a complete mess and her face was turning a pale green. As the handle bars came up, Roy got out of the car and held out a hand to her.

"You okay?" he asked pulling her away from the coaster and trying to keep her steady. Annabelle groaned and hobbled away from El Diablo.

"I'm sorry for screaming in your ear…" she groaned holding her stomach. It felt like that particular organ had jumped up into her throat. Roy chuckled and ruffled her hair back into its correct position gently.

"It's okay, I can be deaf and still have fun today. So, no more roller coasters?" Annabelle plopped down onto the nearest park bench.

"No more roller coasters…" she confirmed, her stomach giving out an angry growl to prove her point. Roy stood over her watching the crowds of people pass by, looking towards where he remembered the arcade being.

"Come on." he said after a few moments, taking Annabelle's hand and helping her up, "I know what will make you feel better." She let him pull her towards the flashing lights and cheerful music by the air conditioned arcade.

"Pick one." Roy stated, gesturing to all of the prizes on the back wall for the ball toss game.

"How are you so sure that you're going to win?" Annabelle teased, feeling her stomach returning to its proper place. Roy gave her a look and Annabelle giggled.

"Okay, that one." she pointed at the plush Superman doll. Roy raised his eyebrow at her as the vendor took his money and handed him the tattered baseball.

"Go Roy, you hit those milk bottles!" Annabelle cheered sarcastically. Roy rolled his eyes and aimed for the stack of bottles. He threw the ball and hit the bottles dead center, toppling them easily. Annabelle let out a happy 'woot' and accepted the Superman doll happily. As she smiled at Roy, she saw something over his shoulder that gave her an idea.

"Over there!" she said pointing to the snapshot booth, its curtain flapping lightly in the breeze. Roy looked at her questioningly but followed her inside the photo booth. After they sat down on the stool, Annabelle deposited two dollars for some pictures.

"Get ready!" she said happily, striking a pose. 8 blinding flashes later, Annabelle and Roy emerged from the booth laughing and waited for the machine to spit out their photos. The film strip came out with an off-tune 'ding' and Annabelle grabbed them quickly. The first one was of her throwing her arms out crazily and making a puffed out face while Roy glanced at her curiously. The next was a shot of the both of them pretending to look shocked at each other. The third had Annabelle making a peace sign and Roy making the rock-on sign with his tongue out. The fourth had both of them making fish faces, and the fifth was blurry because it had caught them laughing. The sixth was bad because Annabelle hadn't looked at the camera in time, and Roy was in the middle of a blink. The seventh was just of the two of them smiling, and the eight was one of Annabelle sneaking a kiss onto Roy's cheek.

The two laughed at the pictures as they walked down the boardwalk section of the park towards the other shops. Roy's stomach grumbled as his nose caught the scent of funnel cake.

"You hungry?" he asked Annabelle. She nodded and licked her lips in the direction of the funnel cake stand.

"My thoughts exactly…" he chuckled going to the vendor and ordering an extra large boysenberry funnel cake. Annabelle stood at his shoulder and was glad that the two of them shared a favorite flavor. As they ate their treat, the two made their way towards the giant Ferris wheel at the edge of the pier.

"You feeling up for another roller coaster?" Roy asked between bites of funnel cake. Annabelle eyed the Ferris wheel. It was really high…

"As long as it doesn't have any loops or corkscrews or insane drops, I'm good." she said taking a bite of funnel cake. They waited in a short line and climbed into their own compartment. Two benches lined the sides and the walls were thick windows. As the Ferris wheel rose, Annabelle and Roy could see the ocean and the park slowly shrink away.

"Wow!" Annabelle gasped at the view as the waves glittered below them. She watched as the people in the park shrank down to ant size.

"I've gotta' say Roy," Annabelle said sitting back in her seat and looking across the car at him, "This is the best date I've ever been on…" she finished smiling, hugging her Superman doll close to her chest.

Roy smiled back at her. His smile faltered when he realized, despite how much fun he was having with her, he really didn't know anything about Annabelle. Well, he knew where she worked and lived, but he didn't know what her dreams were, or what her favorite color was. Things that may not seem important, but that relationships are built upon.

"Who are you? I mean, you is the real Annabelle Johnston?" he asked, watching her face to try and read her expressions, something Ollie had taught him to do a long time ago. The slight twitch of her eyebrow when she looked him in the eye, the involuntary flex of her neck muscle, the far away look in her eyes…all signs of reluctance to talk.

But Roy wasn't interrogating her, so he waited as she looked away from him out at the view below. They were about half way up, and the wheel had stopped to let out other passengers.

"I could tell you the sob story of my life, but it might ruin your good mood…" Annabelle confessed, rubbing the silky cape of her doll between her fingers.

"You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to, but…I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours…" Roy chuckled lightly. Annabelle wore a sad smile as she got her thoughts together.

"My father died when I was a little girl, in a car crash. When he died, I didn't just lose a father, I lost a family. My mom fell apart, and the responsibility of holding our family together fell on my older brother, Sam." Roy listened, watching Annabelle carefully as he saw the emotions flicker across her face. Anger, confusion, and a deep sadness.

"Sam started doing whatever it took to earn money for us, enough to survive at least, but he also started doing anything it took to forget the pain of our fathers death. He was in a gang and started dealing drugs. Eventually he became hooked on the very drug he was selling, the same drug I saw you using, Roy. My brother, the boy who took care of me, who held me until I fell asleep when I had nightmares, who I loved more than anyone, was taken away from me because of that drug…" Annabelle whispered, tears beginning to form.

"The worst part was, I didn't even know what was happening until his gang dropped his dead body on our doorstep. I didn't even know about the drugs….maybe if I had, I could have helped him, I could have done something…" she faltered, looking up at the ceiling of the compartment to keep her tears from spilling as the wheel began to move again.

"I was nine when i had to grow up, in the worst possible way. Then my mother met this guy, and I ran away….I lived in a lot of places, did some traveling to nearby cities, but I eventually settled down in Star City. I earned enough money from my paintings and photography to rent out my apartment, and I eventually got a job, and well, here I am…" Annabelle looked back at Roy, wiping her eyes, and sniffed. Roy sat in silence for a moment, feeling absolutely awful. He couldn't even imagine how it must have felt for her to see him that morning, pushing the same drug into his veins that killed her brother. He understood now why she had acted the way she did in the alleyway, understood the painting at her apartment, he understood everything...

"I'm so sorry…" he muttered, he couldn't even bare to look her in the eyes.

"Well, I'm not. I still met you. Now, stop it! I told you I didn't want to ruin your mood...but, what about you Red Arrow? Who's the man behind the mask?" Annabelle asked pushing her sad memories behind her. Roy rose his gaze to meet hers, but his eyes widened in terror as he saw what was behind her. A giant, mechanical robot, not unlike the one downtown the other day, was slowly rising out of the ocean beside the pier of Pacific PlayLand.

"Get down!" he shouted, reaching across the seat and pulling Annabelle to the compartment floor underneath him as the arm of the mechanical beast slammed into the Ferris Wheel.

* * *

Please review! almost over...


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my characters...steal them and feel my wrath ;)

* * *

Glass crashed down around Roy, but he kept Annabelle's body protected with his own. She lay curled on her side, her face pressed against Roy's chest as he held himself over her. He used his arms to cushion her head and to cover his own neck from the showering glass. They heard the Ferris Wheel creak and groan as the mechanical robot arm pushed past it. Echoing screams from the people below and the others on the Ferris Wheel triggered an instinctual reaction in Roy. People were in trouble and they were going to get hurt if he didn't do something…fast.

"Come on." he said, voice full of unquestionable authority as he lifted himself off of Annabelle and pulled her up beside him. Annabelle looked around in bewilderment at the destruction the robot was causing.

"I need to get you out of here and back to the car. All my weapons are there." Roy stated taking her hand and moving across the suspended compartment towards and interior of the Ferris Wheel. Annabelle followed him in a trance like state, her mind not really processing what was happening.

"Hold on to me. I'm going to get us down from here." Roy pushed the side of his sleeve and a tiny black hook shot out from the contraption and swung around an iron support beam. Roy wrapped his arm around Annabelle's torso and she clung to him for dear life as he stepped off the platform. Annabelle couldn't help but shriek as they freefell down towards the ground. The hook slowed them to a near halt, and Roy lowered them to the ground expertly. Annabelle took a shaky breath and allowed Roy to pull her away from the Ferris Wheel. She watched the robot from the corner of her eye as it began to crash through the rest of the park. A sudden thought came to her as they past a gift shop.

"Wait Roy!" she said twisting out of his grip and grabbing a $5 disposable camera off the shelf. Roy looked at her incredulously.

"What are you doing? I have to get you out of here!" he yelled pointing at the robot that stomped around the park. Annabelle rolled her eyes.

"That thing is going towards the parking lot anyway…I will be safer if I'm out of range right? Plus, its my job to take pictures of monsters and heroes fighting. In case you haven't noticed, I do this all the time…not necessarily with robots…but, don't worry, I can take care of myself." She grabbed Roy's shirt and pulled him toward her for a quick kiss. He looked a little dazed and confused when she backed away from him and said,

"Now do what heroes are supposed to do and go save the day. I'll be right there with my camera!" Annabelle ran off before Roy could stop her and he stood in shocked silence for a moment.

"Shit…" he muttered before he raced off towards his car. He knew he couldn't stop Annabelle, but if he was there fighting the robot, at least he could make sure she didn't get hurt…

XXX

Annabelle raced towards the monster, passing through the destroyed amusement park with a growing sadness. She hoped Red Arrow would destroy this stupid robot because it was ruining not only her childhood vision of absolute happiness, but also her date! She tore the cheap camera out of its box, moved her purse out of the way of a stray trash can as it rolled past her, her Superman plush doll sticking out slightly. She rolled her thumb impatiently around the advance wheel as crowds of people ran frantically past her screaming and pushing to get out of the park. Annabelle dodged a few people until she had to dance around the hysterical mob and climbed on top of a park bench. She paid no attention to them, tapping her foot as she waited for the camera to be ready. The wheel finally stopped turning, and Annabelle snapped a shot of the crowd running away from the destroyed roller coaster. The flames from the destruction cast a great light on the scene, but Annabelle couldn't appreciate it like she usually did. Maybe it was because this was what her subconscious mind related to Sam at his happiest. All she knew was that the crumbling coaster gave her stomach a sick, sinking feeling, like she had just gotten off El Diablo again.

As the remaining people rushed towards the main gates, Annabelle slipped past them to get a closer shot of the robot. Mr. Stanford would be so happy with her he'd probably kiss her. With that thought making the corners of her mouth turn up in disgust, Annabelle put the camera in her pocket and began to run after the robot. She looked each direction for it, but couldn't seem to see the gargantuan machine. She raced around a corner and was thrown off her feet when one of the robots mechanical arms came crashing down on the pavement just in front of her. The ground beneath her was launched and Annabelle was thrown into the indoor arcade, landing in the ring toss pond with a splash. She came out from under the water, dripping wet, spitting out the stagnate water.

"MOMMY! Mommy, Help!" the heart wrenching cry made Annabelle and the robot turn towards the sound. A little girl, auburn hair done up in pigtails, suspender shorts hooked over a red and white stripped shirt, stood in terror in the middle of the paved road staring up at the robot and crying her tiny eyes out. Annabelle didn't hesitate to throw herself over the side of the pond and sprint towards the little girl. She reached her in seconds, picking her up into her arms and running for cover as the robots mechanical arms came down behind her.

Annabelle dove behind a concession stand and tried to untangle herself from the little girls grip. She was extremely strong for someone so little.

"Sweetie, let go of me just for one second…" Annabelle said as she tried to see where the robot had gone, but the girl refused to loosen her grip. Finally Annabelle gave up struggling with her and looked up towards the sky. She screamed and blocked the little girls body with her own as she saw one of the robots arms come crashing down above them.

XXX

Roy ran to the car, his body trembling with a sensation that he hadn't felt in a long time. A fire, a raw energy was flowing through his veins heightening his sense and making his actions almost superhuman. He reached the car and quickly grabbed his gear, changing within seconds into his costume. After those few moments, he was no longer Roy Harper, the druggie trying to find his way in life. He became Red Arrow, strong, fierce, a hero…

People slowed their frantic escape to gawk and cheer as Red Arrow sprinted back towards the destruction pulling an arrow from the shaft on his back and preparing for a fight. He climbed over a side fence in his rush to get back to Annabelle, not bothering with the congested main gates. He launched himself from a park bench onto the roof of a nearby souvenir store. He sprinted from building to building following the sounds and traces of destruction towards the robots hulking form. Just as he was about to leap of a building down to the ground, a flash of green from the corner of his eye startled him. Red Arrow spun on his heel, arrow notched, and saw his mentor, Green Arrow, leaning against an air conditioning vent lazily watching the scene below.

"You haven't been returning my calls Roy…" Green Arrow said, blonde mustache twitching as he spoke. Red Arrow glared from behind his mask, he had bigger things to worry about right now, namely a giant robot.

"There's been nothing to say." he stated turning away.

"We're only here for back up and evacuation duty…" Green Arrow explained, shifting into a more comfortable position. Red Arrow kept his back to his former teacher as he surveyed the area below him. There was no sign of Annabelle, though the robot was considerably close. Suddenly, he saw movement at the far corner of the street by a vendors cart. He saw Annabelle's small frame dive into his line of sight, a little girl holding onto to her tightly. Red Arrow stiffened as he watched Annabelle look around frantically. He needed to get her out of there…

As Red Arrow went towards the edge of the buildings roof, Green Arrow stopped him with a firm hand over his shoulder, preventing the boy from moving.

"Wait…" he hissed, pointing at Annabelle as the robot raised its mechanical arm over her. Red Arrow spun and tore out of his grip just as Annabelle screamed and the arm came crashing down to the ground.

"Nooo!" Red Arrow yelled, looking frantically towards the settling dust from the debris. Before he could turn on his mentor, Red Arrow saw a streak of yellow dart towards them. Red Arrow leaped down from the building without a word to Green Arrow and landed as Kid Flash came to a halt, Annabelle and the little girl in his arms looking frazzled and surprise. Red Arrow reached them just as Annabelle was saying a shaky thank you. The little girl clung to her leg like it was a lifeline.

Red Arrow pulled Annabelle into a hug, holding her tightly against him. His heart felt like it was lodged in his throat, and it was hard to swallow. Feeling her hang onto him with the same desperation was comforting. She buried her face against his neck, her frightened breathing tickling his skin.

"Hey Speedy…uh, I mean, Red Arrow. We could really use your help bringing this thing down. If your not to busy or anything." Kid Flash said, rubbing the back of his neck, shifting from foot to foot restlessly.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a second." Red Arrow sighed. Kid Flash smiled brightly and zipped away. Annabelle relaxed her grip on him and stepped back, the little girl moving with her.

"Sorry…" she said with a nervous giggle, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. The little girl tugged on the hem of Annabelle's black denim shorts lightly.

"Yeah?" Annabelle asked looking down at her cling-on smiling.

"Where's my mommy?" the little girl asked, not an ounce of fear in her face, only confusion.

"I think I can help with that…" Green Arrow stated, walking up to the small group. He opened his hand invitingly and the little girl took it quickly after Annabelle nodded at her reassuringly. As he walked away back towards the main gates, Green Arrow turned back and said,

"We'll talk more about this later." he gestured to Annabelle and Red Arrow before continuing on his way. Red Arrow sighed heavily and looked to Annabelle. She gave him a weak smile and took out the camera to snap a shot of the little girl and Green Arrow walking away hand in hand.

"Cute…" she commented, before turning back to Red Arrow with a expectant look on her face.

"What?" he asked distractedly, emotions running through his head like crazy. Confusion over his surprise run-in with his former partner. Panic that Annabelle had come so close to turning into a pancake. Relief that she was alright and standing next to him. Anger that Green Arrow still acted like he cared for him and had stopped him from saving Annabelle himself.

"Aren't you going to help the others take that robot down? I still could use a few more pictures…" Annabelle explained waving the camera. Red Arrow laughed and ran a hand through his hair.

"When you get an idea in your head…." he said between chuckles. Annabelle huffed and rolled her eyes at him. She turned and made her way towards the sounds of fighting.

"Okay, okay…wait up!" he said jogging to catch up to her, still laughing. He grabbed her arm and spun her towards him gently. He bent his head down and kissed her before she could get away. Annabelle felt her breath leave her as she marveled at how amazing his lips felt against hers. Her eyes fluttered closed as the kiss deepened and she reached up to run her fingers in Red Arrows hair, pulling him closer. They broke apart with a gasp.

"Okay, I'm ready." Red Arrow said reaching for his bow and turning towards the fight. Annabelle felt a blush creep onto her cheeks as she stood watching him go.

"Hey…" she called after him. Red Arrow turned towards her, looking like every bit of the hero he was.

"This is still the best date ever…" she said smiling brightly as she saw his face break into a goofy grin.

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Please review! 3


	11. Chapter 11

**Okay, so, i had planned to give you all three new chapters at once, but my computer was possessed and deleted the other two drafts besides this last one...so, im incredibly sorry for the delay and for the fact that you will all be left with an incredibly dirty finale, but i must dedicate my time to finishing my other fic (check it out if you already haven't :)~ anyways, here you go, enjoy..and again, sorry**

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Annabelle sighed as she climbed up the steps to her apartment behind her grumpy landlord.

"Last night with the ice and now this? I cant wait till I get rid of you and I finally get some normal tenants…" the older woman grumbled unlocking the apartment door for Annabelle.

"Thank you Betty." Annabelle smiled tiredly as the woman glared and headed back down the steps. After closing the door, Annabelle slid down to the ground and sighed. After the battle at Pacific PlayLand, she had been caught up in the wave of news reporters and bystanders trying to get a look at the group of heroes. Annabelle had caught Red Arrows eye and winked before heading out to the nearest bus stop, camera in hand and making her way home, knowing the hero would be busy for a while.

She dropped off her snapshots on Mr. Stanford's desk, the man looking up from a heated phone call to nod once at her appreciatively. It wasn't until Annabelle was at her own front door that she realized that she had lost her purse which contained her keys, wallet, beloved Superman doll and the pictures of her and Roy. So, dragging her feet, Annabelle had gone to wake up her landlord.

Annabelle pulled herself up and went into the bathroom. As she stripped off her clothing, she turned on the shower. She pulled on a short satin robe and walked around her apartment cleaning restlessly as she waited for the water to heat up. As she was moving her painting up against the wall, someone knocked at her door. Curious, Annabelle wrapped the robe tighter around her and approached the door. She peaked through the key hole and saw Red Arrow standing outside her apartment.

"Hi." she said as she opened the door. Red Arrow let his gaze wander as he handed Annabelle her purse. From what he could tell, she only had her extremely short robe on. Before he could start drooling, he shook his head, clearing his thoughts and returned Annabelle's smile

"You left this at the park. I figured you'd need it back, so…" Red Arrow said as Annabelle hugged her plush Superman.

"Thank you Roy, for everything. You're my hero." Annabelle said giggling. She didn't know what was wrong with her. She felt ridiculously happy and couldn't stop smiling.

"Um, do you want to come inside?" Annabelle asked, trying to cover for her odd behavior. Red Arrow peered inside her apartment and looked back at her.

"You don't exactly look ready for company and I think your shower is running…" he said with a smirk. Annabelle rolled her eyes.

"I was waiting for the water to heat up. We cant all have the luxuries of a private penthouse." Red Arrow laughed and kissed her. Again, Annabelle was overwhelmed by the sensation. It took her breath away and left her feeling lightheaded.

Annabelle finally understood what all the women at the shelters had been talking about. Her usual roommates at the safe houses were prostitutes out of work or pregnant teenagers. When Annabelle had asked what had gotten them into their messes, it was always something about how a man had deluded their senses and had given them the best night of their lives, blah, blah, blah. Annabelle had vowed never to let anything like that happen to her, but now, experiencing it on her doorstep, she wasn't so sure.

Red Arrow let out an unconscious moan. His veins had been craving the drug that they were so used to pumping all day. Usually, the only thing that could take his mind of the hunger for them was fighting. Now, he had a new antidote, Annabelle. Kissing her, feeling her body against his, just everything about her was addicting. The aching stopped and in its place an intense heat coursed through his body. Reluctantly, Annabelle broke off the kiss for air, both of them breathing heavily.

"I really should go…" Red Arrow said, lightly kissing down Annabelle's face, and neck. Annabelle tangled her fingers in Red Arrows hair and closed her eyes while he kissed her. Warmth spread from his kisses through her body, making her toes curl.

"I need a shower, and sleep…" he tried to reason with both himself and Annabelle as he bit the skin of her neck lightly. Annabelle moaned and took a few steps into her apartment dragging Red Arrow in with her and closed the door with her foot.

"You can shower with me, the water should be almost ready, and if you're good I'll let you sleep with me too…" She didn't realize what she was saying until it was already out there. Red Arrow looked up at her in surprise. Annabelle blushed crimson as she met the hero's gaze.

_Well why not, you've already pretty much seen each other naked, You've slept in the same bed together for Christ's sake!_ both Annabelle's and Roy's minds screamed for the same thing. Before Annabelle lost her nerve, she led Red Arrow by the hand into the bathroom and closed the door behind them. The room was becoming clouded with steam as hot water finally ran through the drains. Red Arrow didn't want to force Annabelle into anything, but the growing bulge in his pants was hard to ignore. Annabelle tugged at his uniform while they kissed, laughing when she couldn't get it off.

"This thing is like a chastity belt." she said giving up. Red Arrow made short work of it, somewhat shy as he stood in nothing but his mask in Annabelle's bathroom. Annabelle's eyes widened as she took in Red Arrows body. He was, well, easy on the eyes…toned and muscled from years of training, his skin glistening from the steam in the air. Annabelle had to stop herself from gasping as her gaze dropped further down his body. Roy was huge, at least from the information that she had gained from her past, knowledgeable bunkmates.

She turned around and let the robe slide from her body into a forgotten piece of fabric on the floor. She kept her back to him as she opened the glass door and stepped into the shower. Turning slightly, she beckoned to him as the door closed behind her. Roy discarded his mask and followed her in. Before he could even see past the steam, Annabelle had claimed his lips and was closing the door to preserve the warmth inside. When they broke apart for air, Annabelle grabbed a bottle of body wash and a washcloth and began to wash her body.

"What?" she asked to Roy's confused gaze, "I did still need to take a shower…" Roy wrapped his arms around her body and took the soap from her.

"I want to do it." he purred in her ear causing shivers to run down her entire body. Annabelle stood with Roy behind her, feeling his hands run down the curve of her neck to her shoulders and arms. She tipped her head back slightly as he ran the soap around her stomach up to her breasts, massaging and lathering them with soap. Roy let his fingers trace the tiny scar that ran up her back. He was reminded of the night they had met, and his blood boiled thinking about the way those men had touched her. Roy vowed to never let another man touch her like that again. He purposely dragged the cloth from her feet, up her thighs, to her womanhood excruciatingly slow.

Annabelle was reacting to his touch in different ways, sometimes melting like putty under his hands, while other times stiffening to keep from crying out ecstasy. She had no idea someone could make her feel like this just with soap and a washcloth. Roy took some shampoo and began washing her hair, loving how her body would bend toward him to keep his massaging hands there. Finally, Annabelle forced her eyes open. She could have happily stayed there forever, but she wanted to make Roy feel as amazing as she did. She maneuvered her body underneath the faucet and rinsed off under the water. Turning around, she took the soap bottle and cloth from Roy and spun so that she now stood behind him.

"My turn…" she whispered suddenly excited. She worked from Roy's example, changing her pace from slow to fast in certain areas, taking her time in the most sensitive. She was sure to be gentle, going over the fresher scars and bruises carefully, her hands memorizing his body. She had almost finished with his whole body as she traced his sex lines slowly and felt his cock underneath the washcloth. Roy moaned as she slid the soapy cloth up and down his length. Annabelle was empowered by his sounds of pleasure and began to nip at his ears and neck as she pumped him harder.

"A-Annabelle…If you don't stop I'm…I'm going to-" Roy moaned as he tried to stay standing. The sensation Annabelle was creating in him was better than any drug high he'd ever had. Suddenly, the hot water that had been streaming down on the two turned icy cold. The abrupt drop in temperature caused Roy to stiffen and Annabelle to shriek in surprise. Annabelle fumbled for the faucet but ended up slipping on some stray soap and fell against the shower door.

Roy and Annabelle both tumbled out of the shower in a wet heap onto their cloths and the floor. They lay together tangled up, laughing at their own expense. Annabelle reached up and turned off the water, then turned to find herself and Roy some towels. She glanced over at him as she bent down to her cabinet. He lay on top of his uniform and the floor mat, hands behind his head causally, watching her in a way that made her blush and the warmth in her veins start to gather at her core.

"Don't…" he said as she began to cover up with her towel. Annabelle gave him a look.

"Why not? It's cold, and I'm wet…" she said using her towel to dry her hair and throwing the other one at him. He ignored it and got up off the ground, shaking his hair like a dog, coming up next to her and growling in her ear.

"Well, I can help with the cold part, but I want to see how wet I can make you." Roy lifted Annabelle easily up onto the counter top, her back against the wall length mirror, and attacked her lips, his hands removing the towel from around her body. As Annabelle deepened the kiss, Roy's hands went to her breasts, pinching the nipples until she squealed. Roy's lips replaced his right hand as he nipped and sucked on the hardening bud. His hand took its time trailing down her body to her hip, rubbing small circles on her inner thigh.

Annabelle gasped and leaned back against the cold mirror, her whole body flooded with heat, unconsciously pushing her breast further into his mouth. After a particularly hard suck, Annabelle felt something hot and sticky drip from her pussy onto her thigh by Roy's magical fingers. She had been conscious of an overwhelming heat building up inside her since she first started the shower, but this new sensation surprised her. Roy's massaging hand traveled to her opening, rubbing her folds slowly and teasing her entrance with his finger, loving how tight and wet she already was. The sound of her moaning and the way her chest rose and fell with her pants was making him almost painfully hard.

"Roy…I think- I think, I'm cumming…" she gasped, her breast suddenly cold as his mouth left her. Roy met her eye as he smirked. He spread Annabelle's legs farther apart and kneeled down in front of her. Annabelle's heart was racing inside her throat as she watched him.

"What are you going to do?" she asked nervously.

"I'm going to see how wet I can make you." Roy said lowering his head to her and licking. Annabelle stiffened as she felt his tongue explore her. As he sucked on her clit lightly, she felt like she was going to explode. She was feeling things she never could have dreamed about. She moaned and whimpered in pleasure, her hand reaching down to tangle in Roy's hair. Roy, encouraged by her sounds, began to suck harder.

"R- Roy! Oh, God…don't, don't stop, please, oh _God_!" Annabelle rode the waves of her orgasm as Roy ate her out. She fell back against the bathroom mirror breathing hard as Roy came up, licking her cum of his lips. Her heart felt like it was beating so hard that it would burst out of her chest. Roy watched her in self satisfaction. Annabelle looked at his hard member and suddenly felt bad that she had not taken care of that in the shower before the water got cold.

"My turn." she panted for the second time that night. Annabelle got off the counter on somewhat shaky legs and bent down in front of Roy. She wrapped her hand around Roy's dick and began to stroke him until he had to hold himself up by grasping the counter top. Still pumping, Annabelle licked up Roy's length, sucking his tip deeply as he moaned. Roy threw his head back as he felt himself getting closer to the edge. He reached down and tangled his hand in Annabelle's short hair as her head bobbed up and down. Annabelle raked her teeth over his tip lightly and Roy lost it. Annabelle could feel her own hot, sticky cum slide down her thigh as Roy shot into her mouth. He stood for a few moments trembling as Annabelle licked his length clean. She stood and looked at their hot, sweaty, and in some places sticky bodies.

"So much for the shower…" she said, wiping a part of the mirror clear of steam. Roy grabbed her by the waist, throwing her over his shoulder easily. Annabelle squealed and struggled against him playfully until Roy slapped her ass. He grabbed his mask and put it on winking at her in the clear part of the mirror.

"What are you doing Roy?" she asked as he opened the door of the bathroom and walked towards the bed.

"I'm not Roy anymore…" he said tossing her onto the bed lightly, "I'm Red Arrow." he struck a dramatic pose, hands on his hips, looking off into space. Annabelle giggled, eyes roaming his body eagerly.

"Well, Red Arrow…as much as I'd like to thank you for all you've done for me, I'm currently involved with someone…so you see, you and I, it would never work out." Annabelle said, voice thick with sarcasm as she stretched out on the bed flirtatiously. Red Arrow advanced, kissing her deeply, biting her lip until she opened her mouth for him. Annabelle was certain her lips would be bruised in the morning.

"How involved would you say the two of you are exactly?" he asked after pulling away.

"Very…" Annabelle gasped, out of breath.

"Enough to be your boyfriend?" Red Arrow questioned, staring at her through his mask.

"Yes." Annabelle whispered before kissing him again. When they parted, Red Arrow laughed.

"I'm sure he wont mind sharing you with me." he said as Annabelle flipped their positions till she sat on top of him, kissing his neck and chest.

"No, I'm sure he wont." Annabelle muttered against his skin as she lightly bit his ear. Red Arrow slid his hands to her small ass and squeezed. Annabelle, surprised, sat up quickly with a small squeak. Red Arrow used this distraction to lean over Annabelle so that she was underneath him. He balanced his weight above her as his hand trailed down her body. His fingers spread her folds open again and Red Arrow could fell how wet she had already become. Slowly, gently, he pushed a finger into her, watching her face flush as she got used to the feeling. He began to move his finger in and out, giving her time to grow accustomed to the pace. Her eyes were closed and her breath came out in soft pants. He added another finger inside her and felt her hips buck up to gather them inside her.

"You like that…" Red Arrow growled feeling himself get harder just watching her.

"Mo- more, I need more, p-please!" Annabelle gasped in pleasure as Red Arrow added a third finger and stroked them inside her. She could feel herself tightening, the same heat boiling inside her, ready to explode.

"Not yet." Red Arrow whispered withdrawing his hand. Annabelle whimpered as she saw him positioning his hard on at her entrance. She spread her legs farther apart to accommodate him. She moaned as he entered her, throwing her head back as he slid farther than his fingers could reach. As he broke her wall, she was surprised to find that it didn't hurt as bad as she had thought, the momentary pain disappearing into pleasure as Red Arrow pushed in and out, slowly increasing the pace. Suddenly, he came all the way outside of her.

"Wha-" Annabelle began, disappointed that he had stopped, but Red Arrow cut her off with a growl.

"Turn around…" Annabelle blushed, but did as he said, excited as he came into her from behind. Her roommates were right, doggy style was so different. Their was no energy for talking, only the sounds of pleasure as they fucked. Red Arrow was hitting spots that left Annabelle shaking in ecstasy, but the position kept her from cumming to soon. He moved his hands from her ass to her breasts, massaging and pulling them, making her throw her head back as she moaned his name. Her begging only made him thrust into her faster and deeper, occasionally slowing to a stop, dragging out or pushing in torturously slow for both of them.

She moved her hips to engulf him deeper inside as she felt herself tighten and cried out as she finally came. Red Arrow was at the edge when Annabelle squeezed around him and he fell right with her, each helping the other extend their orgasms. When they had finished, they fell onto the bed panting, sweaty, exhausted.

"That was amazing…" Red Arrow said holding Annabelle close against him.

"Yeah," Annabelle agreed lying against him, "I wonder what Roy would think about this?" she said teasingly.

"I'm sure he'd be anxious to try it too." Red Arrow answered making them both laugh.

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YAY! the end


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